sign in sign up
<<
Home , Hinode (satellite), Lunar Gateway, Swiss Space Office, Van Allen Probes, Voyager 1, Voyager 2

Status of the Space Science and Application Program James Spann, Lead NASA Heliophysics Division HPAC, October 1, 2019

1 The of a New Era for Heliophysics Heliophysics Division (HPD), in collaboration with its partners, is poised like never before to -- Explore uncharted territory: through pockets of intense radiation near right to the itself, and past the into interstellar space. Strategically combine research from a fleet of carefully-selected missions at key locations to better understand our entire space environment. To understand the interaction between Earth weather and space weather – protecting people and . Coordinate with other agencies to fulfill its role for the Nation enabling advances in space weather knowledge and technologies Engage the public with research breakthroughs and citizen science Develop the next generation of heliophysicists

2 Space Weather Science and Application Program

3 Space Weather Science and Application (SWxSA)

• A new program in the NASA Heliophysics Portfolio • Totally integrated into and consistent with the goals, research investigations, missions, and technology of the NASA Heliophysics Division • Does not impact the Heliophysics Division research and mission resources

4 Space Weather Science and Application (SWxSA)

• Establishes an expanded role for NASA in space weather science under single budget element ⎼ Consistent with the recommendation of the NRC Decadal Survey and the OSTP/SWORM 2019 National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan

• Competes ideas and products, leverages existing agency capabilities, collaborates with other agencies, and partners with user communities • Distinguishable from other heliophysics research elements in that it is specifically focused on investigations that significantly advance understanding of space weather. This progress is then applied to enable more accurate characterization and predictions with longer lead time • Transition technology/techniques, tools, models, data, and knowledge from research to operational environments • Focused on Artemis and National Space Weather Capability

5 Space Weather Science and Application Update

Space Weather Strategy: NASA, NOAA, OSTP, and OMB • August 2, Strategic meeting held at GSFC - September-October, pilot test-bed process and architecture – considering cloud-based - Addresses objective #2 from National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan • Working Quad Agency MOU – adding DoD - Enables codified interaction with increased likelihood of resources • Steve Hill is detailed to HQ from NOAA Space Weather Mission of under review: Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment (SunRISE) • Selected for a seven-month, $100,000 extended formulation study. • SunRISE would be an array of six CubeSats operating like one large radio telescope to investigate how giant space weather storms from the Sun are accelerated and released into planetary space.

6 Space Weather Science and Application ROSES & SBIRs 3 calls were made between ROSES 2017 and ROSES 2018 in Space Weather Operations-to-Research (SWO2R) • 8 selections made for ROSES 2017 SWO2R - Focus: Improve predictions of background , structures, and CMEs • 9 selections made for ROSES 2018 (1) SWO2R - Focus: Improve specifications and forecasts of the energetic particle and encountered by spacecraft • ROSES 2018 (2) SWO2R selections upcoming: - Focus: Improve forecasts of solar energetic particles and heavy ions - 4-6 selections anticipated in October 2019 ROSES 2019 call released – no focus topic Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program for Space Weather • 2018 – Selected 2 Phase II • 2019 – Selected 4 Phase I • 2020 – Language for Call has been approved

7 Space Weather Science and Application Ongoing Steps • Develop NASA Heliophysics Space Weather Science and Applications Implementation Plan • Define transition framework and implement pilot test-bed with NOAA SWPC - Define process - Transition one or two test cases - Implement a mirror test-bed capability to enhance transitioning • Develop with Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) a lunar space environment capability to safeguard human and robotic explorers beyond low-earth-orbit - Participating in Payload Working Group ・ Responded to ‘Call for Information’ for Heliophysics and space weather payloads ・ Energetic particles and solar wind sensor package rated high to launch with the Power and Propulsion Element of Gateway Phase 1 • Define - Strategic instrument development for ESA L5 mission - Robust multipurpose space weather package for additional rideshare opportunities • Secure counsel of community expertise • Work in concert with the OSTP Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) Working Group and in accordance to the 2019 National Space Weather Strategy 8 and Action Plan (NSW-SAP) Interagency Partners NASA-NOAA (MOU): • Co-funding CCMC • Collaboration between GSFC/CCMC and • New opportunity focused on NOAA/SWPC on space weather Computational Aspects of Space modeling capability Weather • Collaboration between JSC/SRAG and NASA-NSF-NOAA (MOU): NOAA/SWPC • Pilot O2R research activity, MOU • Co-funding O2R proposals NASA-USGS: • Accommodation for SWFO mission on • NASA collaborating with USGS to enable IMAP launch Magneto-Telluric Survey in southwest NASA-NSF (MOU): NASA-NSF-NOAA-DoD (in work): • Coordinating ICON & GOLD opportunities • Preparing Quad-Agency MOU focused (joint NASA mission GI and NSF CEDAR on Space Weather solicitations) • Consulted on solicitation design for Science Centers

9 International Partners

10 International Partners Partner Mission(s)/Campaigns/Models Austrian Aeronautics and Space Agency THEMIS, MMS Belgium – University of Liege, Belgian Federal Science Policy ICON, SOC, Parker Office (BELSPO) (AEB) Van Allen, SPORT CNES, Centre National d'Études Spatiales STEREO, MMS, LWS/SETI, SOC, Parker, SET, SOHO, THEMIS, WIND CBK, Centre , Polish Academy of Sciences GLObal solar Wind Structure (GLOWS) instrument on IMAP CONAE, National Commission on Space Activities of the Van Allen Argentine Republic for Cooperation in Solar and Space Physics CSA, THEMIS Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic – Institute of Van Allen Atmospheric Physics DLR, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt STEREO, THEMIS, Parker, sounding campaigns ESA, SOHO, SOC Aditya-1 mission collaboration, space weather modeling, long-term strategic ISRO, Indian Space Research Organisation collaboration focus areas JAXA, Aerospace Exploration Agency , MMS, , CLASP and CLASP-2 Sounding missions, EUVST Van Allen, SDO, KASI Forecast Model, SNIPE, BITSE, CODEX, KASI, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute IMAP I-ALIRT Space Center IRIS , Russian Academy of Sciences SDO, STEREO, WIND, Hi-C Sounding Rocket Mission Swedish National Space Board MMS Swiss Space Office, University of STEREO, SOC, IBEX UKSA, United Kingdom Space Agency Hinode, STEREO, LWS/SETI, SOC, SET 11 Missions, and relevance to SWxSA

12 FORMULATION Heliophysics System Observatory IMPLEMENTATION PRIMARY OPS • 19 Operating Missions with EXTENDED OPS 27 Spacecraft (ESA) SOHO (ESA) IMAP • 2 Missions in Implementation • 4 Missions in Formulation AIM IBEX

AWE Parker Solar ACE SDO Probe ICON (ISS) THEMIS (3)

GOLD TRACERS (2) (SES)

TIMED (2) ARTEMIS WIND (2) Hinode (JAXA) PUNCH (4) STEREO MMS (4)

IRIS SET-1 (USAF) Geotail Voyager (JAXA) (2) 13 SOHO (ESA) Eyes on the Sun Solar Orbiter • (8/12/2018) (ESA) PUNCH • Solar Orbiter (ESA/NASA) (LRD Feb 2020) • Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and (PUNCH) (LRD Aug 2022) SDO • Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) (2/11/2010) Hinode • Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (JAXA) (STEREO) (10/25/2006) • Hinode (JAXA/NASA) (9/23/2006)

IRIS • Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) Parker Solar Probe STEREO (6/27/2013) • Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) (ESA/NASA) (12/2/1995)

14 Sailing in the Solar Wind DSCOVR IMAP • Interstellar Mapping & Acceleration Probe (IMAP) LRD 10/2024 • Deep Observatory ACE (DSCOVR) (2/11/2015) • Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) (8/27/1997) • Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO)

WIND (10/25/2006) STEREO • Wind (11/1/1994)

15 Guardians of the MMS & (4) AIM • Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) (1/25/2018) • TRACERS THEMIS- Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) ARTEMIS (3/14/2015) Van Allen (2) • Van Allen Probes (8/30/2012) Probes (2) • Aeronomy of the Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) (4/25/2007) ICON • Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions ISS: in Substorms (THEMIS) (2/17/2007) AWE • Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere and TIMED Dynamics (TIMED) (12/7/2001) • Geotail (JAXA-lead) (7/24/1992) THEMIS (3) • Solar Environment Testbeds-1 (SET-1) LRD 6/22/2019 GOLD • Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) LRD 2019 • Atmospheric Wave Experiment (AWE) LRD 8/2022 SET-1 Geotail • Tandem Reconnection & Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS) (LRD Aug 2022)

16 To infinity & beyond!

Voyager 1 • & 2 IBEX (9/5/1977 & 8/20/1977)

IMAP • Interstellar Mapping & Acceleration Probe (IMAP) LRD 8/2024 • Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) (10/19/2008)

17 3 Explorers Missions of Opportunity to Advance Understanding of Space Weather Three missions selected (Sep 3) for nine-month concept studies; down- selection in 2020. Extreme High-Throughput Spectroscopic Telescope (EUVST) Epsilon Mission • EUVST would observe simultaneously, for the first time and over a wide range of the lower solar atmosphere, how magnetic and plasma interact. • Instrument to fly on JAXA’s Solar-C mission • Principal Investigator: Clarence Korendyke at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. Aeronomy at Earth: Tools for Heliophysics Exploration and Research (AETHER) • AETHER would explore the ionosphere-thermosphere system and its response to geomagnetic storms from a position aboard the International . • Principal Investigator: James Clemmons at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer (EZIE) • EZIE would focus on an electric current known as the auroral electrojet, which circles through the atmosphere around 60 to 90 above Earth, near the poles. • Principal Investigator: Jeng-Hwa Yee at the Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. Each potential mission has a separate launch opportunity and time frame. 18 2016 SMEX Selections

TRACERS PUNCH Tandem Polarimeter to Unify Reconnection and the Corona and Cusp Heliosphere Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites

“We carefully selected these two missions not only because of the high-class science they can do in their own right, but because they will work well together with the other heliophysics spacecraft advancing NASA’s mission to protect , and life down here on Earth,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. 19 Enhanced and Tandem Beacon Experiment (E-TBEx) : Principal Investigator: Ronald Tsunoda (SRI/University of Michigan) Rideshare: w/Space Test Program-2 multi- Description: manifest launch – total of 23 satellites • Pair of 3U CubeSats each carrying tri-frequency Launch Site: Cape Canaveral radio beacons LRD: NET June 24, 2019 • Measures how radio signals can be distorted by large bubbles that form naturally in the Earth’s charged upper atmosphere • Tracks how the ionosphere disrupts signals by monitoring, from the ground, beacon tones transmitted from eight orbital locations: the six COSMIC-2 spacecraft (NOAA) and the twin E-TBEx CubeSats (NASA) Impact: • These bubbles interfere with communications and Images from CubeSat Workshop Apr 2018 GPS in large regions near Earth’s magnetic

20 Upcoming CubeSat Missions

E-TBEx – The Enhanced Tandem Beacon Experiment is a pair of 3U CubeSats each carrying tri-frequency radio beacons. It measures how radio signals can be distorted by large bubbles that form naturally in the Earth’s charged upper atmosphere. It tracks how the ionosphere disrupts signals by monitoring, from the ground, beacon tones transmitted from eight orbital locations: the six COSMIC-2 spacecraft (NOAA) and the twin E-TBEx CubeSats (NASA). June 2019 SORTIE: The Scintillation Observations and Response of The Ionosphere to Electrodynamics is a scientific investigation mission on a 6U CubeSat to advance understanding of ionospheric irregularities and the roles of various drivers in their formation in order to improve predictive capabilities. October 2019 OPAL – The Photometry of the Atmospheric Limb is a 3U CubeSat experiment designed to study temperature fluctuations in the lower thermosphere by focusing on remote optical observations of atmospheric temperatures. October 2019 LLITED: The Low-Latitude Ionosphere/Thermosphere Enhancements in Density Mission consists of two 1.5U CubeSats that will make simultaneous thermosphere/ionosphere measurements of the Equatorial Temperature and Wind Anomaly (ETWA) and the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) to investigate the coupling between the two features. 2020

21 Upcoming CubeSat Missions petitSat: The Plasma Enhancement in The Ionosphere-Thermosphere Satellite is a scientific investigation 6U CubeSat mission designed to provide in-situ measurements of plasma density, 3D ion drift, as well as ion and neutral composition. It will determine the conditions under which Medium-Scale Traveling Ionosphere Disturbances (MSTIDs) generate large plasma enhancements, which can interfere with radio waves used for communication and navigation. 2020 SPORT: The Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task is a US-Brazil mission using a 6U CubeSat with six remote and in situ instruments, that seeks to understand the pre-conditions under which ionospheric variability develops that leads to scintillation of RF signals. 2020 LAICE: The Lower Atmosphere/Ionosphere Coupling Experiment is a 6U CubeSat with four sensors to remotely observe gravity wave signatures in the mesosphere, while simultaneously observing in-situ plasma and neutral gravity wave-induced fluctuations at LEO altitudes. The observations will be correlated with tropospheric storm data from weather satellites in an attempt to the probably origins of the waves, and to better determine their global distribution. 2020 – NSF/NASA

22 Summary

23 It is a Great Time to be a Heliophysicist! • Strategically advance understanding of solar and space physics, make amazing discoveries • Build innovative missions to achieve this goal • Fulfill its role for the Nation enabling advances in space weather • Committed to working with other agencies to implement Space Weather ` • Critical role in Exploration • Support HEOMD in deep space - the and beyond

24